Mitering-machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. LOO KB. MITERING MACHINE.

No. 527,434. Patented 0013. 16, 1894.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES LOOKE, OF MIDDLETOIVN, OHIO.

MITERING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 527,434, dated October 16, 1894.

Application filed July 6. 1892. $orial No. 439,155- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES LOCKE, of Mid dletown, county of Butler, and State of Ohio,

the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to produce an improved machine for cutting miter joints,

preferably by the use of a saw; and whose construction is such that limitations as to the height, breadth, or thickness of material to be out are avoided. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device, showing the guides in the elevated position. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same, showing the guides in theirlowest position. Fig. 3 is a top plan View. Referring to the figures on the drawings, 1 indicates the frame posts of my machine, which are preferably made of metal in any suitable manner, and areprovided with cross stays 2 uniting them in pairs. 3 indicates an upper arch or connecting piece firmly secured at opposite ends by bolts, for example, to the opposite upper cross stays.

, 4 indicates a lower arch or connecting piece post above the table.

united in like manner to the next lowerpair of cross stays. The frame posts and connecting pieces united compose the frame of mymachine.

5 indicates hearings or apertures in the middle part of the upper and lower arches, which rotatably carry a vertical swivel post 6, to which above and below the arches, respectively, are rigidly secured by nuts 7, for example, miter cross pieces 9.

10 indicates a table, preferably in ide integrally with the lower arch, and provided on one side with perforations 11 that are adapted to receive and hold a pin 12 carried on the under side of a spring latch 13 that is vertically united to the lower end of the swivel The perforations are set suitable distances apart to a scale, so that the miter cross pieces fastened to the ends of the swivel may be fixed in any desired angle to the arches. Numbers indicating the angle are in practice preferably set opposite the perforations for guidance in adjusting miter cross pieces.

While Ihave illustrated a particular form of catch, and have indicated perforations as means of holding it in place, I do not desire to limit myself to the specified construction in this particular, because any suitable means of adjusting the relative positions of the swivel posts and cross pieces maybe employed.

14 indicates cutter guides, preferablyslotted, as indicated at 15, for the free passage of a cutter, as for example a saw, and pro vided with anti-friction rollers 16, against which the back of the saw may reciprocate. These guides are preferably carried on the lower ends of guide-rods 17, preferably 6 squared and vertically movable in suitable apertures 18 in the miter cross pieces,whereby a saw is held rigidly in the guidepieces,and

being extended through both of them is held in the position in which the miter cross pieces are fixed by the adjusting mechanism above described. f

19 indicates plates provided with loi1gitudinal slots 20, through which pins 21 movably secure them to the upper miter cross 7 piece. They are provided with apertures 22 to correspond with the apertures 18 in the cross piece. When the plates are drawn to ward the center of the cross piece, their edgeswill engage the sides of the rods and hold them fixe'd in any position in which they are set. For this purpose I prefer to employ the mechanism illustrated, which consists of a compressing piece 25 fastened to one side of the miter cross piece, preferably provided 8 with lugs 26 having beveled edges toward the center of the cross piece.

27 indicates a handle, preferably made of spring steel wire in the shape of a loop. It is preferably [fastened at its opposite ends to the sliding plates, preferably by lugs 28, and is adapted, when depressed between the beveled edges of the lugs 26, to draw the plates toward the center and hold the rod in a fixed vertical position. When it is desired to release the rods the handle is raised until the sliding plates release their grip upon the rods. Ordinarily the resiliency of the handle will besufficient forthispurpose; but to avoid such dependencel prefer to use a spreader 29, which preferably consists of a metallic plate having outside beveled edges secured to the side of the miter cross piece opposite to the compressing piece, and adapted, when the handle is pressed upon, it, to spread the sides thereof and positively actuate the sliding plates. By this means it is not necessary to employ a spring handle. A handle of any suitable yielding material may be substituted therefor; but, for reasons above indicated, I prefer to use the spring handle.

From the foregoing description it will appear that a saw of any suitable size is placed in the guides, and the miter cross pieces are set at an angle in which the saw is desired to reciprocate. For flat material I prefer to use tables 32, preferably composed of angular pieces of sheet metal secured to the frame posts by any suitable means about half way, near their middle. For sawing edgewise or crosswisel prefer to use vertical guide frames 34:, preferably provided with cross pieces 35, carried upon opposite ends of the machine in the frame posts by any suitable means, preferably bolts inserted through apertures 36 in the arms 37 of the guide pieces. A number of apertures of this kind are provided for adj usting the guide frames to any desired thicknesses of material. From the opposite side I provide a tilting guide frame piece 37, pro- 7 tion of dilferent lengths of saws.

vided with an arm 38 and apertures 39.

etqindicates a bolt which is adapted to be inserted through the frame post and one of the apertures, and to pivot the tilting guide piece in position. 41 indicates a lug with which the tilting guide-piece is preferably provided for engagement with a piece of material to be sawed and hold it in a fixed position.

It will be understood from the description just given I provide in this manner two separate holding devices, one a table for holding I fiat material; and the other guide pieces for p and guide pieces are elevated to the highest position and the saw is set into the clamp 42,

which is preferably fastened to the under when it may be operated in the usual man-- ner. The weight of the guide piece and connected parts will constantly feed the saw against the material so as to cause it to do very smooth even Work and prevent the webbling which is liable to produce an uneven kerf where the usual narrow fixed guides are employed. The operation is precisely similar except as to the securing of the material, where the material is set on edge instead of on its side.

It should be observed that the miter cross pieces and the sliding plates may be provided with diiferent sets of apertures for the reception'of the guide-rods, for the accommoda- Although I have indicated in the body of the specification one or two particular in stances in which the peculiar mechanism illustrated may be varied, I desire to state generally that I do not wish to be regarded as confining myself to special details of construction, because the same may be in numerous ways varied without departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim is In a miter cutting machine, the combination with a cross piece and vertically adj ustable cutter guide rods, of mechanism for retaining the outterguide rods in position, consisting of sliding plates, adapted to engage with the rods and hold them against the cross piece, a yielding handle connecting the sliding plates and adapted to be expanded by ICC 

